In air seeders, the configuration of the seeder boot may have a detrimental effect on the placement of seed in the furrow. For example, some boots project the seeds rearwardly or straight down and tend to produce excessive seed scatter and bounce. A high percentage of seeds ends up in a dry soil flowing over the cultivator sweep. These seeds will only germinate much later when more rainfall is received, causing second growth. This creates a great problem of green, immature kernels in the harvested crop, downgrading the crop drammatically. Many boots include deflectors that extend across the seed outlet to deflect seed to either side, thus producing two spaced rows of seed. The deflectors damage, bounce and scatter the seed and will also stagnate the seed flow through the boot and can cause complete seed tube blockage. Similar problems occur where the sweep mounting bolts are extended through the boot to connect the boot and sweep to a cultivator shank.
Another difficulty that can arise with seed boots is that of exposure. Where parts of the boot are not hidden behind the shank on which they are mounted, hang ups and damage to the boot can result from engagement of the boot with rocks, stubs or soil lumps coming of the sweep and passing the shank.
The present invention is concerned with the provision of an improved air seeder boot.